Inspiring Stories: Women With HIV/AIDS

Brenda Chambers -- a mother of four, recovering crystal meth addict and sexual abuse survivor -- did not allow her 2003 HIV diagnosis to stop her from living. In fact, she used it as a means to stop using drugs, regain custody of her children and become an AIDS activist. Read her story.

In this follow-up interview with Teniecka, she shares her experiences with pregnancy and birth; caring for her children while going to school and working in the HIV community; and maintaining a strong family unit without the support of extended family members. Read her story.

Is the Ribbon Enough? (Regularly Updated)
A blog by Rev. Andrena Ingram.
From The Body
Enough Negativity! (Regularly Updated)
A blog by Teniecka Drake.
From The Body
Living My Life Positively (February 4, 2012)
"I've been ridiculed and criticized because of my HIV status," writes Louisiana resident Millicent Foster; "But that has just made me more determined."
From The Body
Profile: Inspiring, Devoted, Unstoppable (Winter 2012)
Despite the loss of her grand amour, Chantale Perron is as determined as ever to support and fight for the rights of drug users and people with HIV.
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
Where It Came From: A Blog Entry by Brooke Davidoff (February 2, 2012)
"Now I feel dirty again. Living in a bubble, thinking it's not really real if I can't find anyone I've been with who has it. Maybe I was misdiagnosed since I'm still NOT sick and have not been on meds for almost a year. But now I know it's real again. I have it. He gave it to US."
From The Body
Finding the Missing You! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (January 26, 2012)
"On top of the side effects from the IV medication, extreme fatigue and nausea, on top of the side effects of my regular HIV medications and let's not forget my financial issue ... I found myself slipping into a depression. ... So here I am, trying to find me. Trying to reclaim that part of me that I can own, that I can control."
From The Body
In This Corner, the Scale: A Blog Entry by Rev. Andrena Ingram (January 23, 2012)
"Most women have some ongoing love/hate relationship with their scales. Add HIV or AIDS to the equation, and you get a whole 'nutha dynamic. I have been talking and writing off and on about my struggle with my weight. And I must say again, that it is not really MY struggle, but other people's struggle with where THEY think I should be as far as weight goes."
From The Body
Bonus Rounds: A Blog Entry by River Huston (January 20, 2012)
"I just feel it is a privilege to not just be alive, but have found some happiness and contentment in my life. There is very little I want, need or desire; wow, lucky me."
From The Body
Beyond the Bad News: Highlights of 2011 -- A Blog Entry by Aless Piper (December 15, 2011)
From The Body
Zero: A Blog Entry by Sarah Sacco (November 22, 2011)
"Sure, we adults can understand mathematically what 'zero' means. But I wonder if we can truly understand what it would mean if there were 'zero' cases of HIV; "zero" people afflicted with AIDS. What the world would be like if there were no babies born positive. If there were no graves dug, no child orphaned. Not even one."
From The Body
World AIDS Day Makes Me Sad: A Blog Entry by River Huston (November 21, 2011)
"Zero is such a perfect concept; and maybe there will be a groundbreaking discovery that can eradicate the virus forever. To think people worldwide will start changing personal habits around sex and drugs is a nice thought; but in my experience, it's not realistic."
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Everyone Has a Purpose! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (November 14, 2011)
"Early in my life, I knew social justice work was what I was supposed to do. I had a well laid out plan and the overachiever in me didn't miss one beat, or so I thought. But when I made a transition to AIDS almost 20 years ago, the bottom fell out of my world as I knew it."
From The Body
A Day in the Life Video Series: Eva Hansen on Traveling While Positive -- for 28 Years (October 19, 2011)
In the latest edition of our "A Day in the Life" video series on HIV treatment adherence, Eva shares why she adores traveling -- and what she's learned about trotting the globe with HIV meds in tow.
From The Body
amfAR Is "Making AIDS History" With New PSA Campaign Featuring People Living With HIV/AIDS: A Blog Entry by Kellee Terrell (October 14, 2011)
From The Body
Monday Reflection: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Death! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (October 3, 2011)
"I did nothing to prepare for a future. ... And after that third bout of PCP, I knew that my life was over. But a funny thing happened on the way to death, I lived! So here I am, looking menopause in the face."
From The Body
My Early Years -- and Why I Am Sharing Them: A Blog Entry by Ellisya (September 23, 2011)
"I am sharing this story as a part of my journey struggling as an HIV-positive woman and mother, and even way before the disease came into my body. At least the audience or even the reader will have a clearer picture of who I am and how I have been raised in this country, Malaysia."
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Bernadette Berzoza (September 15, 2011)
From The Body
Hoping for Tomorrow on Today: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (September 2, 2011)
"The medicine foscarnet is so strong that it burns your skin as you pee. I actually have to wash each time I use the bathroom or it will burn a sore. It's one thing to urinate over an open herpes lesion, it's another thing to urinate over an open lesion with a mixture of pee and a potent medication."
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Herpes, AIDS and Shame ... A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (August 29, 2011)
"Dealing with health issues is one thing, having to deal with it wrapped in shame is an entire other thing."
From The Body
Happy Birthday RLT Collection! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (August 23, 2011)
"Three years later, RLT Collection is still here and growing. No, it hasn't made me rich; and in those first two years the collection was just hanging in there with very little profit. But I never gave up."
From The Body
Doing It My Way This Time Around! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (August 12, 2011)
"My goal is to have my memoir Unprotected by World AIDS Day December 1, 2011, as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of AIDS. I'm excited! I hope that you are to! Keep me in your prayers. I'm going to move forward even in spite of my health."
From The Body
What We Do to Keep a Man ... A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (August 10, 2011)
"As I approach 50, I have worked on me in both of these areas. On one side, I've come to love my self and understand my self worth. And on the other side, I've come to understand that I cannot lose my self respect with the hopes of getting and keeping a man."
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Living With AIDS in My Own Voice! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (August 8, 2011)
"This was a five-hour interview for the best of what I had to say. George shaped the two-part interview to give a full understanding of what my life is like living with AIDS ... I hope that it is helpful in some way."
From The Body
Beneath an Angel's Wings: My Story of Struggle and Longtime Survival, Part One (August 4, 2011)
From The Body
Melissa Baker: HIV-Positive Mother of Four -- A Blog Entry by Robert Breining (July 24, 2011)
From The Body
Waking to Sadness ... A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (July 21, 2011)
I must continue to get a handle on the emotional pain or it will kill my spirit and a dead spirit is a dead life. It would be a shame to stay alive physically living with AIDS ... defeating the odds to die spiritually. So today I fight for my spirit with what I have, praise, a shower and Captain Crunch."
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Never Surrender to the Madness -- A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (July 18, 2011)
"With a relationship you can control you, but with your health you are at the mercy of the sickness. Like a man, you know the sickness it's sucking the life out of you, but its departure is a tad more complicated than just walking out the door, deleting him from your Facebook, no calls or emails."
From The Body
Michelle Anderson, 2011 Ms. Plus America: A Blog Entry by Robert Breining (July 17, 2011)
I am very excited to have Michelle Anderson as our guest on tonight's POZIAM RADIO show. ... Michelle will discuss what it felt like to be the first openly HIV-positive woman to win a national pageant title!"
From The Body
Happy 1st Birthday Myles! A Crazy Year in Review: A Blog Entry by Brooke Davidoff (July 15, 2011)
"This last year has been crazy, exciting, scary and amazing. Anyone who is thinking about having kids, and lets having HIV be a deterrent, needs to think again. Myles is now the strength inside me."
From The Body
The Day I Was Pronounced Dead: A Blog Entry by Ellisya (July 14, 2011)
"We are going to fight this every day. No matter how long it takes, one day our fight might help the next people who have to live with HIV. I remember the day I found out I had HIV felt like the day I was pronounced dead, but instead I came alive."
From The Body
Take Life Seriously, but Do Not Forget to Have Fun! A Blog Entry by Teniecka Drake (July 9, 2011)
"Do you ever wonder why people take life so seriously and never smile or laugh or even joke? ... Life for me, when I was given my diagnosis, was not fun or happy, and forget cracking a smile. ... After having a family of my own and going through some things, I can say life is meant to be enjoyed!!!"
From The Body
TheBody.com Blogger Maria T. Mejia Profiled in the Windy City Times (July 6, 2011)
In Windy City Times
Hope and Dignity (Summer 2011)
HIV has not extinguished these cherished values in Peggy Frank of Victoria, Canada. On the contrary, even after more than 20 years, she continues to nourish them in herself and in her HIV-positive sisters and brothers in Africa.
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Krista Shore (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Darien Taylor (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Maggie McGinn (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Françoise Grothé (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Jane Wallis (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Cindy Reardon (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Shari Margolese (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Laurette Lévy (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Tracey Conway (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Brigitte Charbonneau (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Louise Binder (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
A Decade of Positive Faces: Kecia Larkin (Summer 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
Monday Reflection: What Kind of Caregiver Are You? A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (June 20, 2011)
"I just want you to think about how you really give care to that person you love. Have you dismissed what they have told you about their health because they look good? Is it denial because to consider the real health issues is too much? Do you give care out of convenience?"
From The Body
Let There Be Blood: A Blog Entry by Brooke Davidoff (June 19, 2011)
"We scream at the passersby who have no idea HIV is lurking, but they cannot hear us. They have no idea they are at risk, and we are the only ones who can save them. The more people who test positive, the more we have failed them."
From The Body
Guest Blogger: A Day in the Life When the Diva Is Your Friend -- A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (June 14, 2011)
"I think it is profound that I am able to share raising my son with Rae, whom I now consider one of my dearest friends. She has NO idea how she impacted my life."
From The Body
My Generation Takes HIV for Granted (June 2, 2011)
In Black AIDS Weekly, from Black AIDS Institute
Hope, Part 2: A Blog Entry by Sarah and Carmen Anthony Sacco (May 25, 2011)
"I shared in my introduction post a time in my life when I felt quite deeply the lack of hope -- probably better termed despair. What I have shared with few others is just how far into despair I was."
From The Body
I Am Not A Whore! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (May 20, 2011)
"I am not a whore! But it's true, I've been having sex almost as long as I've lived. I broke my virginity when I was 13, which was a decision I made based on what I thought I knew was the best decision for me. It was a totally wrong decision based on faulty information."
From The Body
TheBody.com's Blogger Rae Lewis-Thornton Featured in the Windy City Times and Women's Day (May 4, 2011)
In The Windy City Times
This Positive Life Video Series: An Interview With Lolisa Gibson (May 1, 2011)
From The Body
Forgiveness (Traumas From My Childhood and Teenage Years): A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia (April 26, 2011)
"Even though sometimes I can go back to that dark place when I was a little girl, I am a work in progress! And the most important thing that has helped me sooooo much is forgiveness. Letting go of the hate and anger!"
From The Well Project
From Addict to Activist With 3 Easy Letters: A Blog Entry by Jeannie Wraight (April 20, 2011)
"She told her listeners of the girl I was, a hard-core dope fiend. ... She told them that when she asked how it was, how it could be that 5 years later the same girl was standing on the streets of South Africa, alive, thriving and fighting that I told her simply: 'I became an activist'."
From The Body
Friendship, Betrayal and Rape ... A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (April 13, 2011)
"John had set me up. He knew I had not consented to have sex with his best friend. He KNEW. He was WRONG! He made a decision about my body that he had no right to make."
From The Body
The First Few Months: A Transgender Woman Faces an HIV Diagnosis in the Rural U.S. (Posted: April 2011)
From The Body
This Is for Me! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 30, 2011)
"This new Diva AIDS Awareness Bracelet for RLT Collection is a special fundraiser for me. I am making 100 teamRae Bracelets. On May 22nd I will be 49 years old. My life is a miracle."
From The Body
Damaries Cruz: Deciding to Start Treatment After Nearly 20 Years of Living With HIV (March 30, 2011)
From The Body
I Am: A Blog Entry by Brooke Davidoff (March 29, 2011)
"I'm not depressed, I don't think. I don't see why I'm not depressed. [My dad] died just before my first column on TheBody.com was published."
From The Body
Fat Meat Is Greasy! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 25, 2011)
"I keep preaching the same shit over and over again but you really don't think Fat Meat is Greasy. You really think that there is something about your love and relationship that exempts you, but in truth, the only love that will keep you safe is self-love."
From The Body
There Is Hope in Tomorrow! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 23, 2011)
"My bracelet designs remind me that there is a life beyond the right now. And when someone wears my bracelets, I feel as if I have given them a part of me that AIDS can NEVER take away."
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Remember! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 21, 2011)
"I get asked often, how I do it. How do I take hit after hit and seem to keep it moving in spite of it all? How do I get out of bed when literally, the pain is almost unbearable."
From The Body
HIV and Love: A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia (March 18, 2011)
"I am very blessed that after all these years of being positive and thinking way back 'I WILL NEVER MARRY,' I have been blessed with such a loving and caring partner."
From The Body
I Agree: We Are Not A F***ing Scorpion! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 18, 2011)
"There was something about this ad campaign that didn't sit well with me. It left a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. It seemed to overstep a boundary."
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Shana Cozad (March 17, 2011)
From The Body
Are We the Balm in Gilead? A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 16, 2011)
"In disclosing there was a weight lifted off my shoulders. But even now that the cat is out of the bag, there is a part of me that wonders if people have less compassion and sympathy for me while I'm going through this treatment because this infection happens to be sexually transmitted."
From The Body
Finally: Letting Go of the Shame! Part Three: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 11, 2011)
"There is a sense of shame that I cannot explain. Yes, it's an AIDS related opportunistic infection, but it somehow carries a shame the pneumonia does not."
From The Body
Finally: Letting Go of the Shame! Part Two: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 9, 2011)
How did my herpes go from an outbreak once every two years to drug resistant? ... And how does a superwoman like myself lose her mojo and let shame consume her once again?"
From The Body
Finally: Letting Go of the Shame! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 8, 2011)
"At 19 I thought I had landed my prince charming and all was right with the world. But a couple of days later I was itching really bad and was pretty sore down there."
From The Body
Diagnosis AIDS: A Blog Entry by Sarah and Carmen Anthony Sacco (March 8, 2011)
Carmen Anthony's music brought him healing after his diagnosis with AIDS in 2000. Sarah was diagnosed with HIV in 2003 at the age of 23. They met at a support group and embarked on life's adventure together.
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Watering The Seed God Planted! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (March 7, 2011)
"I'm stepping out on faith. Watering the seed God has planted. … Starting today -- 'Tea With Rae: Wellness for the Mind, Body and Sprit' will air each Monday at 8:00 p.m. CST, for one hour. It will be a talk radio show in the truest sense."
From The Body
Teniecka Drake: Balancing HIV Advocacy, a Husband and Three Young Children (March 7, 2011)
From The Body
Southern AIDS Living Quilt (March 7, 2011)
Using video testimonials, the Living Quilt shares the personal stories of women living with HIV, their families and health care providers throughout the southern U.S.
From Southern AIDS Coalition
Conversations With My Virus: A Blog Entry by Shana Cozad (March 3, 2011)
"The interesting thing about conversations with my virus is that I never got hateful or evil conniving messages back. It just simply was a virus, and I had a beautiful young immune system with a not-so-strong genetic factor that allowed my virus to run rampant."
From The Body
The Honest Truth About Trust ...: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (February 25, 2011)
"Do you use condoms forever? That is the 1,000,000 dollar question. On one level it's an easy answer. ... My answer, "You never stop using condoms," is loaded with dynamite that can cause a relationship to explode in your face."
From The Body
First-Person Stories From HIV-Positive People: February 2011 (February 18, 2011)
From The Positive Project
Here We Go Again: Lab Results and My Fears -- A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia (February 7, 2011)
"I know what I should do and how I should act but I guess my personality or my FEARS get the best of me. All I know is that I don't have to worry about this S**T for another 4 months."
From The Well Project
Freedom by Expression (Winter 2011)
From painting to video to performance art, Montrealer Shayo Detchema moves beyond the label of HIV-positive artist.
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
This Positive Life Video: An Interview With Leslie and Andrea Williams (February 1, 2011)
"HIV gave me some focus, direction and a purpose. I know that I can do things that I didn't think I could do before." -- Andrea Williams
From The Body
Monday Reflection: You Cannot Go It Alone ...: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (January 31, 2011)
"Social media has done wonders to help me expand my work around HIV/AIDS. But, it has also helped to expand my network of friends."
From The Body
Overit.Com!! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (January 28, 2011)
"You can question my methodology all you want. I know I'm a little provocative. But don't you dare question my heart. I'm over here fighting for my life and the lives of others and that's real."
From The Body
Does HIV Cause AIDS? Denialism vs. Pro-ARVs: A "Debate" -- A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia (January 27, 2011)
"I don’t give a damn if HIV does not cause AIDS. I really don’t care! what I care about is how the hell do I keep my immune system intact????"
From The Well Project
Blessings Come in Many Ways ... A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (January 26, 2011)
"Who would have thought that this woman, basically a stranger to me would be such a blessing to me in so many ways. She blesses my tummy with those delightful creations in her shop [and] she's sponsoring our Heart to Heart for HIV Tweet-up for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day."
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Marvelyn Brown (January 25, 2011)
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Paying It Forward: A Blog Entry by Brooke Davidoff (January 20, 2011)
"An all-company email was sent out inviting co-workers to come out to World AIDS Day and watch me speak. I held my breath and waited to hear people's reactions around the office. Nothing."
From The Body
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia (January 19, 2011)
"Yes, many may think there is nothing positive in being positive ... but as I have always been taught, and believe, even from something bad or tragic, we can find something good, something to learn from and something that makes us stronger."
From The Well Project
Jumping Empty-Handed Into the Void: A Blog Entry by River Huston (January 14, 2011)
"I no longer say, 'I lost everything.' Now I say, 'I let it go; I shed one life for another.' ... The band-aid is now floating in the Caribbean along with 1,000 pounds of dysfunction and I feel lighter, happier and free."
From The Body
Maria's Intro: A Blog Entry by Maria T. Mejia (January 13, 2011)
When Maria was diagnosed with HIV at 18, her mother said: "You will not die from this, but you will tell the family you have another disease." Now, after years of silence, this Miami resident is more than ready to open up to the world about living with HIV.
From The Well Project
Death Pussy: Don't Believe the Hype! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (January 12, 2011)
"I've never had anyone call my vagina 'death pussy,' at least not to my face. ... [Reading it in the book] made me wonder if that's what people thought about me. And honestly, more so, if men thought of my vagina in the very same way."
From The Body
First-Person Stories From HIV-Positive People: January 2011 (January 7, 2011)
From The Positive Project
Love Triangle: Here We Go Again -- Part 3: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (January 5, 2011)
"Finally back to the ending of that crazy ass story about the fool who was dating me and this young girl at the same time. You can review Part One and Part Two."
From The Body
The Benefits of Living with HIV (November 15, 2010)
From The Body
Q&A With Oprah Guest Bridget Gordon, Who Sued Ex-Husband for Giving Her HIV (November 2, 2010)
In Black AIDS Weekly, from Black AIDS Institute
Monday Reflection: Fight Forever More ... A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (November 1, 2010)
My fight strategy is diverse like in all successful battles. Some days it’s something as small as taking a shower and putting on fresh PJs when I’ve been sick in bed all day.
From The Body
Oh My God, We Made a Person: A Blog Entry by Brooke Davidoff (October 14, 2010)
I am totally in awe of my son. ... I had no idea how in love with him I would instantly be. ... To be honest I was horrified to be a parent. I had no idea what to do with a baby.
From The Body
Love Triangle: Here I Go Again -- Part Two: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (October 1, 2010)
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Sanctuary -- A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (October 1, 2010)
My sanctuary became less about space and more about my actions. Now I can merge the two yet again.
From The Body
Monday Reflection: When Life Knocks You on Your Ass -- A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (September 30, 2010)
I understand that the victory is in getting back up. Some people believe it’s about the quickness of getting up. But then that’s unrealistic too.
From The Body
Love Triangle: Here I Go Again -- A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (September 30, 2010)
It happened when I was in the hospital no less. He had been spending hours there with me. The man by my side. Then it all started to fall apart.
From The Body
Monday Reflection: Gratitude for Today! A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (September 29, 2010)
I am getting better. I’ve been off my HIV medication now going into my third week and I can see slow improvement. ... The problem is that the longer I’m off my HIV medication the more afraid I become.
From The Body
Turning Point -- Part One: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (September 28, 2010)
By the time my acute gastroenteritis passed, I had made up my mind! I got up off the floor, took a long hot bath and made the call. ... "I can’t take this freaking medicine anymore! [I told my doctor.] I can’t do it!"
From The Body
Ms. Chanel -- Part One: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (September 27, 2010)
Neither St. John nor Chanel could do a damn thing to protect me. Not even my diamond cross was able to ward off that sudden onslaught of diarrhea. The ugly truth was that AIDS had a complete and utter disregard for everyone, everything and everybody.
From The Body
Diva Living With AIDS: A Blog Entry by Rae Lewis-Thornton (September 23, 2010)
"AIDS disrupted my world and shattered my dreams into a million little pieces, but God picked up those pieces and reshaped the direction of my life."
From The Body
Beth: A Blog Entry by ScotCharles (September 8, 2010)
I shall never forget Beth. She taught me to forgive and find peace, to love and to live in the moment, and to live without fear or anger.
From The Body
This Positive Life Video: An Interview With Brenda Chambers (August 24, 2010)
This mother of four, recovering crystal meth addict and sexual abuse survivor did not allow her 2003 HIV diagnosis to stop her from living. In fact, she used it as a means to stop using drugs, regain custody of her children and become an AIDS activist.
From The Body
Fighting for Prison Health Care Above the Norm: A Blog Entry by Rusti Miller-Hill (August 10, 2010)
"[While incarcerated in the early '90s, I] became a peer educator in the AIDS Resource Room, and found what would become my life's work upon my release. Nearly 20 years later, I am still disclosing my status and advocating to advance the state of health for women living with HIV/AIDS in my own community."
From The Body
The Real Deal When You're Living With AIDS (July 24, 2010)
From The Root
Living Out Loud: A Blog Entry by Sherri Beachfront Lewis (June 16, 2010)
From The Body
Get Sex(Ed) on TV in the Afternoon: Vote for River to Host Her OWN Show! A Blog Entry by River Huston (June 1, 2010)
It would be fantastic having an openly HIV-positive woman as a regular on mainstream TV. When was the last time we saw that?
From The Body
Life of the Pardy (Spring/Summer 2010)
After being silenced for many years, Robyn Pardy of St. John's raised her voice and raised awareness about HIV/AIDS in Newfoundland and across the globe.
To read PDF, click here.
In The Positive Side, from Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
Intro to Me: A Blog Entry by Brooke Davidoff (May 20, 2010)
Newly married, newly pregnant, and newly HIV positive. Talk about putting your relationship to the test right out of the starting gate.
From The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Esmeralda, Part Two (May 19, 2010)
Esmeralda, 37, forges a successful new path for herself and her children, and manages to find love along the way.
In This Positive Life, from The Body
This Positive Life: An Interview With Esmeralda, Part One (May 19, 2010)
Esmeralda was 25 when her husband died of AIDS, leaving her HIV positive, with one baby and another on the way.
In This Positive Life, from The Body
I'm Smart, I'm Talented and People Like Me: A Blog Entry by River Huston (April 21, 2010)
The art of positive thinking despite my inclination toward doubt, destruction and general self-annihilation.
From The Body
J'Mia Edwards, "Public Face of AIDS in the District" Makes a Fresh Start, Film Debut (April 14, 2010)
In Housing Works AIDS Issues Update, from Housing Works
Regan Hofmann Has "Something to Tell You" (January 13, 2010)
In Housing Works AIDS Issues Update, from Housing Works
This Positive Life: An Interview With Marama Pala (January 11, 2010)
In This Positive Life, from The Body
This Positive Life: Former Pop Star Sherri Lewis Talks About Living With HIV (October 2009)
From The Body
Personal Perspective: Life and Death and HIV on Long Island (Summer 2009)
To read PDF, click here.
In Achieve, from ACRIA and GMHC
Tiger Medicine (July/August 2009)
A Native American woman's story
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
This Positive Life: An Interview With Sarah (July 15, 2009)
In This Positive Life, from The Body
Evany Turk (July/August 2009)
A success story.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Panama Adventure: A Blog Entry by River Huston (July 1, 2009)
From River Huston
Surviving HIV: A Blog Entry by River Huston (June 17, 2009)
From River Huston
This Positive Life: An Interview With Lois Crenshaw (March 24, 2009)
From The Body
Living With "The Monster" (Winter 2008/2009)
"Are we going to die like those people on TV?" was the first thing 6-year-old Raven Lopez asked when her mom told her she was HIV positive. Her mom's answer, of course, was "no" -- and 12 years later, both of them are still going strong.
To read PDF, click here.
In Achieve, from ACRIA and GMHC
First Person: Kathleen Gerus-Darbison (January 13, 2009)
Philadelphia Extra Marks 19 Years Living With HIV (November 20, 2008)
Sue Kehler was among dozens of people with HIV who were in the landmark 1993 film. She recalls how the film inspired her to stop hiding her HIV status and leave her abusive fiance.
In The Philadelphia Inquirer
This Positive Life: An Interview With Damaries Cruz (October 15, 2008)
HIV-positive Latina goes public with her status in the Hispanic community.
From The Body
Thembi Ngubane: Mother, Activist, South African ... and Proof Positive That You Can Thrive With HIV (August 3, 2008)
When she tested HIV positive in 2002 at the age of 16, Thembi Ngubane scarcely had an idea what HIV meant or what to do next. Now, there are few people on the planet who could tell such an inspiring story of growth, strength and redemption.
In The XVII International AIDS Conference, from The Body
Taking It Step by Step: An Interview With Dorothy and Lizabeth (June 2008)
In WORLD Newsletter, from Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases
Alba: "I Think I'm the Oldest Woman Living With HIV!" (June 2008)
In WORLD Newsletter, from Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases
Martell Randolph -- Rare Virus, Rare Strength (March/April 2008)
Martell Randolph got a double shock nine years ago: She not only found out that she was HIV positive, but that she had HIV-2 -- a rare strain of the virus found mainly in the developing world. She recounts her struggle to get proper treatment.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Evelyn Hernandez Valentino -- No Longer Alone in the Desert (March/April 2008)
One woman's quest to raise awareness.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
River Huston -- I Feel Good! (March/April 2008)
Attaining survival through illness.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Profiles in Courage: Fortunata Kasege (March 25, 2008)
From The Body
Personal Perspective: One Woman's Story (Winter 2008)
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
An Open Letter: Woman to Woman (September/October 2007)
Heidi Nass describes how she forgave herself for testing positive.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Going Global (July 6, 2007)
AIDS activist Yvette Raphael single-handedly brought the Campaign to End AIDS to South Africa.
In Housing Works AIDS Issues Update, from Housing Works
Star of the South (July 6, 2007)
HIV-positive AIDS activist -- and single mom -- Jessica Mardis wins Mississippi's Young Activist of the Year Award.
In Housing Works AIDS Issues Update, from Housing Works
"HIV Does Not Define Me": How One Woman Came to Accept Her Diagnosis (July 2007)
Diagnosed -- much to her surprise -- at the age of 19 in 2003, Marvelyn Brown needed to first accept her own status before she could begin to educate others .
From Savvy Miss
Patricia Perez: Nobel Peace Prize Nominee (May 11, 2007)
21 years after her HIV diagnosis, Patricia Perez is not only alive and well; the Argentinian has been nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for her work on behalf of women living with HIV in Latin America.
From Inter Press Service
First Person: Loreen Willenberg
First Person: Gracia Violeta Ross Quiroga
First Person: Marcya Owens
First Person: Mindy
First Person: Nina Martinez
First Person: Raven Lopez
First Person: Michelle Lopez
First Person: Teniecka Hannah (April 3, 2007)
First Person: Alora Gale
First Person: Jane Fowler
First Person: Barbara Choser Cusack
First Person: Luana Clark
From The Body Features: Women & HIV
First Person: Charlene
Lisungu Chieza: Starting a New Life With HIV (November 2006)
When Lisungu Chieza was diagnosed with HIV in Zimbabwe in 1996 she plunged into depression, but now she has moved to Canada and found a new purpose -- fighting against HIV.
To read PDF, click here.
In WORLD Newsletter, from Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases
Lizette Green: Here's to a Decade of Life, Love, and Dreams!!! (June 2006)
Diagnosed with HIV at 16, Lizette Green is now raising three children (all HIV negative) and working as an HIV youth advocate.
To read PDF, click here.
In WORLD Newsletter, from Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases
Thembi Ngubane: A Young, HIV-Positive Woman From South Africa Speaks Out (April 19, 2006)
Available as a transcript and as a podcast.
From National Public Radio
Sarah Watson: We Can All Be Heroes (April 2006)
When Sarah Watson, 30, was diagnosed with HIV 13 years ago, she never thought she'd live to win UK Coalition's Community Hero Award for her AIDS activism.
In Positive Nation
Profiles in Courage: Regina Brandon (February 2006)
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Pamela Neely (February 2006)
Pamela Neely, a 47-year-old African-American, talks about HIV and her struggles with racism, drugs and incarceration.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Marcya Owens (February 2006)
African-American HIV advocate Marcya Owens discusses her life and successes as an HIV-positive, married mother of two.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Regina Brandon (February 2006)
Once homeless, 42-year-old, African-American Regina Brandon explains why she sees her HIV-positive status as a blessing in disguise.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Raven Lopez (January 2006)
Born HIV positive, Raven Lopez has always lived with the virus that she sees as little more than a footnote in her life.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Precious Jackson (January 2006)
Now married to the love of her life, African-American Precious Jackson speaks about how HIV makes her feel healthier and more powerful than ever before.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Michelle Lopez (January 2006)
Michelle Lopez discusses how she fought against depression to become an outspoken advocate for herself and her daughter.
From The Body
Profiles in Courage: Joyce McDonald (January 2006)
The life of African-American artist Joyce McDonald is a triumph of will over circumstance.
From The Body
Thembi's AIDS Diary: A Year in the Life of a South African Teenager (2006)
From AIDS Diary Project
Florida: One Woman's Odyssey of Drugs, Sex and HIV Leads to a New Life on South Beach (August 9, 2005)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
A Life Interrupted: How One Woman Picked Up the Pieces After a Late Diagnosis (April 2005)
To read PDF, click here.
In WORLD Newsletter, from Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases
Lorraine Brown: Journeying From Disclosure to Advocacy (Spring 2005)
To read PDF, click here.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Talking About Your Status: One Woman's Decision to Disclose (March/April 2005)
When's the best time to tell a potential partner you have HIV? For Barbara Marcotte, the answer is: Tell them early.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Dating and Daring to Love Again: One Woman's Journey After Becoming a Young, HIV-Positive Widow (March/April 2005)
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Beatriz Diaz: From Silence to Success (January 2005)
Beatriz Diaz, 49, learned the hard way that loving yourself is critical to committing to HIV treatment.
In A Guide to Fuzeon: The First Fusion Inhibitor, from The Body
After an HIV Diagnosis, a Latina From Mexico Discovers Her Power (Winter 2005/2006)
Juana D.'s life was dominated by men, and she got little support from her health providers. It wasn't until after her HIV diagnosis that Juana began to gain confidence in -- and power over -- herself and her sexuality.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Women Fighting HIV in Africa Tell Their Story (November 2004)
These four stories highlight the impact of HIV on women in the developing world who are denied their basic human rights.
From Inter Press Service
"We Do Not Hide": Profiles of HIV-Positive Women in Malawi (November 2004)
Three stories told by Malawian women who are taking a stand against HIV stigma and discrimination in their country.
From Oxfam
Personal Stories From Women Living With HIV (September 2004)
Cathy, Linda and Dorothy offer their perspective on living with HIV, disclosure, adherence and working with doctors.
To read PDF, click here.
In WISE Words, from Project Inform
Smell the Coffee! (Summer 2004)
For Joan Warner, who was diagnosed in 1990 at the age of 51, life goes on -- both the good and the bad.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Love, Sex, Friends, Medications, Spirituality, Health (Summer 2004)
Marilyn McBride, a 50-year-old mother who has been HIV positive for 10 years, is in great health and spirits.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Moving Forward (Summer 2004)
Harlem native Yolanda Birthwright, 54, wonders: If I'd never been diagnosed with HIV, would I be enjoying my life as much as I do now?.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
There's Always Room for Hope (Summer 2004)
As a widow and an HIV-positive woman approaching 60, Sharon's life has taken on new meaning.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
"I Hate Knowing I Will Leave My Son" (December 3, 2003)
[Archived Article]
Niza, 32, who lives in Mexico City with her parents and her beloved 10-year-old son, tells her story.
From BBC News
Ain't I a Woman? Change (July/August 2003)
Deneen Robinson, an HIV-positive African-American woman, has been an HIV educator for seven years.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Happy Holidays? (Summer 2003)
[Archived Article]
Nancy Soto, a married New Jersey mother of two living with HIV, writes about her six years on meds and one disastrous drug holiday.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Finding the Right Fit (Summer 2003)
[Archived Article]
Shelley Singer, an HIV/AIDS educator, public speaker and activist in the San Fernando Valley, has lived through several grueling regimens.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Crossing the Line (Summer 2003)
A staunch believer in traditional Chinese medicine explains why she decided to begin HIV meds.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Just Point Me in the Right Direction (Summer 2003)
[Archived Article]
Before her diagnosis, Ellen Hahn wouldn't even take an aspirin.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
Hanging In (Summer 2003)
[Archived Article]
Sue Gibson, R.N., a clinical trials coordinator in Dallas, Texas, writes about her 14 years on HIV meds.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
"Unladylike" Talk About Sex Saves Lives (April 7, 2003)
[Archived Article]
Excerpts from an op-ed column by Laura Hall, a board member of the Black AIDS Institute.
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
How I Learned to Love Myself (Spring 2003)
For Precious Jackson, it took an HIV diagnosis to find that self-worth begins from within.
To read PDF, click here.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
My Journey From Addiction and Incarceration to Recovery and Hope (2003)
Marina Alvarez, a Latina AIDS educator and community organizer, was the opening speaker at the World AIDS Conference in Amsterdam.
To read PDF, click here.
From PositiveWords
Paula Peterson and Griff Butler (2003)
In this excerpt from Roslyn Banish's book, an HIV-positive woman and her husband, who is negative, talk about their relationship, family life and raising their young son.
To read PDF, click here.
In Focus on Living: Portraits of Americans With HIV and AIDS, from University of Massachusetts Press
Activist: "The Secret Was Killing Me Faster Than the Disease" (October 10, 2002)
A profile of Rae Lewis-Thornton, who has been speaking publicly about living with HIV since 1994.
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
One Day in the Life of Patricia Shelton (October 2002)
A 49-year-old black woman and mother of three grown daughters talks about her life.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
A Personal Journey (July 2002)
An interview with Hulda, a woman infected with HIV 11 years ago when she was 47.
To read PDF, click here.
In WISE Words, from Project Inform
Positive Empowerment (July/August 2002)
[Archived Article]
Sylvia O'Shaughnessy is frank about her experience living with HIV and hepatitis C.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Meet a Brand-New Kimberly (April/May 2002)
One year and 281 pounds later, Kimberly -- who had two T cells when she was diagnosed -- is living a new life.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Personal Perspective: The Road From Perfection (Spring 2002)
Six years after her HIV diagnosis, Heidi Nass realized just how key diet and exercise are to her recovery.
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
One on One: Personal Story (Spring 2002)
An interview with Margaret Shepard, a black woman who has lived with HIV for more than 10 years.
In STEP Perspective, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
Surviving in Troubling Times (December 2001)
Lindsay Rosier on living with HIV in New York before and after the World Trade Center attack.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Rebekka Armstrong, Former Playboy Playmate Turned HIV Activist, Talks About Her Journey From Glamour Girl to Safer-Sex Educator (October 16, 2001)
In The Guardian
Rural Profile: Maria (Summer 2001)
The story of a 24-year-old Hispanic IV drug-using mother.
In STEP Perspective, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
One-on-One With Sylvia Vázquez-O'Shaughnessy (May/June 2001)
Sylvia discusses her diagnosis in 1983, years of misunderstanding the disease and her path to empowerment.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
One-on-One With Leatrice Simpson (May/June 2001)
Close monitoring helps Leatrice to stay on top of both human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
One-on-One With Earlene Hayden (May/June 2001)
An HIV-positive woman and former injection drug user herself, Earlene now works as a prevention specialist in Chicago.
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
How Do We Keep Going? (April 2001)
It's so hard to have self-confidence, to be a good person, to feel hopeful -- and that's just without an HIV diagnosis.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Wow! Is This Really Happening to Me? (Spring 2001)
Forty-six year old Judith Dillard recounts her life since diagnosis.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
First Person: Kris C. Has Lived With HIV Since 1988 (Spring 2001)
Though she is over 50 years old, Kris' priority is speaking to young people about the risk of HIV.
To read PDF, click here.
In STEP Perspective, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
I Have HIV: My #1 Disease Is Drug Addiction (Spring 2001)
Former nurse Judith Fadden writes about her years of drug use, two prison terms and road to recovery.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Legal at Last! HIV-Positive Woman Gets Her Massage Therapy License, but Investigation of Los Angeles Police Commission Continues (February 2001)
[Archived Article]
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Trekking With AIDS, Part 3 -- A Special Report (February 2001)
An HIV-positive woman completes the Appalachian Trail.
In HIV Newsline, from San Francisco General Hospital
A Personal Perspective: Inside Job (Winter 2000/2001)
[Archived Article]
Lillian Thiemann has HIV, hepatitis and cirrhosis and is a recovering addict. Her 12-step recovery group helps her maintain her emotional quality of life.
In CRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
A Personal Perspective: Shit Happens and Then You Go on Meds (Winter 2000/2001)
Susan Rodriguez thought she could stay off meds forever by taking good care of herself -- she was dead wrong.
In CRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
It's All About Empowerment -- A Visit With HIV/AIDS Activist Nancy Shearer (December 2000)
Interview with a Filipina mother and HIV advocate.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Living With HIV: An AIDS Diploma (August 2000)
A 20-year-old recounts how she was infected at birth.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Phyllis Anderson (July 2000)
From drugs and prison to a career in HIV education, Phyllis' story is one of survival.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
This Space for Rent: Disclosing for Money in Focus Groups (February 2000)
A woman describes her experience participating in a marketing survey for HIV-positive people.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
My Gift: A Personal Story of Living With HIV (January 19, 2000)
To read PDF, click here.
From PositiveWords
Excuse Me Miss ... (Winter 1999/2000)
Reflections on testing positive.
In Women's Treatment News, from PWA Health Group
Mature Woman With HIV Feels Shunned by Her Own Community (November 1999)
After attending a conference for women with HIV, Jane Fowler advocates for greater acknowledgement and acceptance for older HIV-infected women.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Trekking With AIDS, Part 2 -- A Special Report (October 1999)
Taking on the challenge of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail -- on top of the challenge of taking a five-drug-a-day antiretroviral regimen.
In AIDS Care, from San Francisco General Hospital
Living With HIV: Living Proof (September 1999)
Dawn tells her story about having two children while living with HIV.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Trekking With AIDS, Part 1 -- A Special Report (August 1999)
Dawn Averitt describes taking on the challenge of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail -- on top of the challenge of remaining compliant with a five-drug antiretroviral regimen.
In HIV Newsline, from San Francisco General Hospital
Kimberly's Story (August 1999)
A woman learns to live with HIV and put herself first.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
Powers of Example: Jackie Whitehead (May 1999)
An HIV-positive, African-American mother of three, Jackie talks about her journey to healing.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Carolyn's Story: From LA to London to HIV-Positive (October 1998)
A former model and a wild kid of the 1960s, Carolyn was diagnosed with HIV at the age of 47.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Ayisa Kennedy (August 1998)
Profile of a New York City woman who was diagnosed at the age of 19.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Anna's Story (Summer 1998)
An HIV-positive mother of two helps found a support group for women with HIV in Olympia, Wash.
In STEP Perspective, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
Law of Attraction (Summer 1998)
AIDS is not attracted to people; we are all the same, it's just some of us got tagged.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
African-American and Latina Women Fight Culture to Obtain Care (May 1998)
[Archived Article]
Women talk about overcoming cultural objections to getting the treatment they need.
In Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care, from International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care
From Our Spirit: But by the Grace of God (March 1998)
Although she tested negative, Gale believes she could have tested positive just as easily.
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles
The Americas and HIV: Common Threads Across Borders (Fall/Winter 1997)
A Canadian woman struggles with the law, the healthcare system and the man who infected her.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Powers of Example: Theresa Nieves (September 1997)
"I was one of the few Latinas out there doing advocacy work, and who was not afraid to say 'I have AIDS'".
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Powers of Example: Pearl Johnson -- a Grandmother With AIDS (July 1997)
A blind, HIV-positive woman has changed her life and welcomes her third grandchild to the world.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
My Virus, My Self (Summer 1997)
A woman "comes out" as HIV positive in a national magazine.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
May 14, 1997: Birthdays Visited and Revisited (Summer 1997)
Birthdays are very powerful markers for those of us living with HIV.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
I'm Confused & I Want a Nobel Prize (Summer 1997)
Reflections on the National Conference on Women and HIV.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Powers of Example: Nina Brown -- Mother and Survivor (June 1997)
A mother of four fought drugs and depression and has found peace with herself.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Boosting the Spirit of an HIV-Positive Woman (April 1997)
An African-American HIV-positive woman decides to give birth.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Kvitch: For the Love of Quotes (November 1996)
An HIV-positive woman muses on quotes that guide her life.
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Girls in "The Hood" Get It Too! (Summer 1996)
"I'm not gay, I'm not white and I'm not a man ... I didn't fit the profile of someone with HIV".
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Thank You From an HIV+ Woman (Spring 1996)
A woman "in the closet" finds support through the L.A. organization Women Alive.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Homage to Magic Johnson (Spring 1996)
A woman gives cheers to the basketball player and the drugs keeping him healthy.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Women, Small Towns, and HIV: One Woman's Story (Winter 1995/1996)
Dealing with stigma and connecting with others.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
New Class of HIV Fighting Drugs: The Protease; One Woman's Experience (Autumn 1995)
Marlene Diaz details the ups and downs of a clinical trial.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Living in South Africa With AIDS: A Personal Story (Summer 1995)
After running away from the hospital three times and being shunned by her family, Gloria has now come out publicly and believes there is life beyond diagnosis.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
A Mother's Thank You (Summer 1994)
Finding closure for her infant son's death from AIDS.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
A Mother and Her Child Come to Terms With AIDS (Summer 1994)
An HIV-positive woman has two children and describes how she dealt with parenthood.
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive